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Has a puma-like creature being roaming the Cambridgeshire countryside for decades? (Image: Sarah Cheriton-Jones)

A few years later and legend of the 'Fen Tiger' has grown. A February 1983 report details the experience of dustcart driver Gordon Wheeler who saw a strange puma-like animal in the grounds of Anglesey Abbey in Lode.

He said at the time: "This black animal came straight across the front of the lorry, moving very fast. It had a deep body, about the size of an average dog with a pointed nose, long legs and a short bob-tail.

"I have lived all my life in the country and know most wild animals, but I have never seen anything like that before. I don't know what it was."

1984 - Sightings galore of mystery big cat

Sightings of the Fen Tiger pile up in 1984

Reports of big cats roaming the countryside flow in. Reginald and Doris Savidge are convinced they saw a puma-like creature in Cottenham.

Farmer Robert Norman of Smith Fen thought he saw a cheetah run from a field of sugar beet into a field of cattle.

While at Borough Green police were said to be investigating a motorist's report of seeing a large cat on the Dullingham Road.

1985 - Rabbit killer strikes

A mysterious menace causes 12 baby rabbits to die of fright after it ripped open a hutch in Milton.

Days earlier Valerie Roberts described hearing a terrible scream outside their Histon home late at night.

She saw a "large fluffy, furry reddish brown coloured beast" slinking away from the body of their ten-year-old cat Mickie.

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Fast forward to the 1990s and the 'Fen Tiger' is back, terrifying teenagers Darren Rule and his brother Steve in the woods beside Gog Magog Golf Club.

The pair had driven to join friends at a camp spot when they were startled by something big and black coming towards them.

Darren said: "It was the size of a large dog but moved like a cat and it was breathing and panting heavily. We were a bit shaken and got into the car quickly, then it vanished.

1994 - Caught on camera

The 1994 footage of the Fen Tiger running across a field

"The Fen Tiger is real, alive and on the prowl," we proclaimed in June 1994.

The elusive wild cat was finally caught on video camera by William Rooker near Oakington Road.

The two minute long footage shows a large long-tailed cat slinking into the middle of a field. sitting for a short while before darting away at speed.

A Cambridge University zoologist was shown the recording by the News and said he believed it to be a 3ft-high puma , leopard or jaguar.

"I'm prepared to place a small bet on it," said Dr Keith Eltringham.

1997 - Children in tiger alert

Could this have been a sighting of a big cat near Girton in 1998?

Staff at Sutton's village school are warned to keep children indoors after builders spotted what may have been the legendary Fen Tiger. Ely police were called to investigate.

Richard Hough said: "They're adamant that they saw an animal that was bigger than an Alsatian and with a black coat."

1998 - Operation Big Cat

Fen Tiger paw prints spotted in Great Shelford

A group starts painstakingly monitoring sightings of the Fen Tiger across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Suffolk.

Co-ordinator Bob Engledow told the News that there could be a total big cat population of 40 animals across Britain, plus several pockets of lynx.

He argued that big cats appeared in the wild due to a change in legislation in 1976 which led some owners of exotic breeds to release animals into the wild.

Mr Engledow said 300 big cats could be roaming the countryside by 2020.

2004 - Paws for thought

The big cat is back and prowling through a three acre garden at Ivy Farm, Rampton.

Metal trader Martin Hale stumbled upon four and a half inch long prints running for 60 yards in a snake-like pattern.

Mr Hale said he had seen the mysterious Fen Tiger a couple of times over the years. He said: "Both times it was either slouched down or running away. It's larger than a fox. It's a light sandy colour with dark rings on the tail.

2010 - Paw prints in the snow

An alleged Fen Tiger print in the snow captured in 1998

What on earth left these? We asked about the large animal tracks left in the snow outside a bungalow in Histon.

The six inch prints were taken by Rachel Slater, who said: "I just don't know what sort of animal could make prints that big. I can't imagine it was a dog - it could be a big cat, maybe a puma."

2017 - "Longstanton's answer to Big Foot"

Steve Lawrence, a construction site manger from Over, brings the 'Fen Tiger' into the present day with a sightingon the Longstanton Bypass.

He described the mystery feline was "Longstanton's answer to Big Foot" and expressed his concern for the safety of children and pets in the area.

He added: "Although it's like the size of a Labrador, I'm expecting it was something quite huge - I think it was a juvenile puma or a panther type animal."